Ages 14 to 16

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Energy saving

Mobile wind-up

Trevor Bayliss may have started a trend. Bayliss is the British inventor of the clockwork radio, popular in the developing world because it opens up the airwaves for people who could not afford batteries for a traditional radio.

The idea of a hand-cranked unit has caught on, with several chargers for mobile phones now on the market, offering six minutes talk time for between 30 seconds and two minutes of wind-up effort*. Other experiments into wind-up units - with super capacitors to store the energy - could power anything from laptops to electric razors.

*Source: Global Warning, produced by The Guardian in association with British Gas and Scottish Gas

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Home alone

In western countries like Britain, people are increasingly choosing to live or rent alone and this is putting pressure on the environment. This trend is due to the rise in individual spending power, as well as higher rates of divorce. There's an increasing trend for people to stay single and for couples to put off having children - and more of us are living longer.

However, reports have highlighted the eco-benefits of people living together; sharing electricity, TVs, washing machines, heating costs, water and other precious resources.

So living with your family may sometimes seem frustrating, but next time there's a row, remember this: you're all environmental heroes.

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Clear Skies

Here's a chance to persuade your parents to do their bit to prevent global warming.

The Clear Skies initiative offers help to people who are interested in renewable energy projects. Homeowners can get grants of up to £5,000 and, if your school has community links, there could be up to £100,000 worth of help on offer.

The money is available for new energy systems that use renewable technology - solar water heating, wind power, hydroelectric, wood fuel systems and ground source heat systems.

In Scotland the scheme is being co-ordinated by the Scottish Community Renewables Initiative.

See www.clear-skies.org for more information about the initiative.

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Light at the end of the tunnel

Remember those spooky TV images of New York's massive electricity blackout in August in 2003? Or the big power failures in Italy and London that left shocked commuters trudging through the streets?

Global power cuts have proved how vulnerable our electricity networks can be, with a small fault in one location leading to overload in another and finally a domino effect where millions are plunged into darkness. But the sight of car headlights still glowing in the blackness has, literally, shown us the light. Why rely on fragile, vast, centralised power plants for our electricity grid, when smaller, local micro-power plants may be the way forward? Renewable solar, wind and wave power could also step in to fill the gap left by our struggling electricity networks.
Source: Green Futures, published by Forum for the Future

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Talking Point

Many of the world's energy problems would be solved if car drivers bought smaller, less powerful cars and drove them at moderate speeds. This would also result in fewer deaths in road traffic accidents and a better quality of life for city dwellers. But is there any chance of all of us actually making this choice?

Get switched on and let us know your views by emailing thinkenergynow@edcoms.co.uk

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Amazing but true

Freaky energy fact 1:
In just one day a dripping hot water tap can waste energy, money and enough water to fill a bath*. Not to mention making that annoying plink-plonk noise!
Freaky energy fact 2:
If everyone in the UK installed just one energy-saving lightbulb the CO2 emissions saved would fill London's Royal Albert Hall nearly 3,000 times*. Now, that's a show we'd love to see!
Freaky energy fact 3:
Your home could be losing 20% of its heat through single-glazed and badly insulated windows (double-glazing would cut losses by over half*). Is that why you're watching telly wrapped in a duvet?
Freaky energy fact 4:
A bolt of lightning contains enough energy to toast 160,000 slices of bread in just 1/10,000 of a second^. Now that's what we call a big breakfast!
Freaky energy fact 5:
Schools spend three times more on energy than on books - and could save at least 10% via low-cost or no-cost energy efficiency measures. New gym equipment instead anyone?
Source: www.schoolenergy.org.uk
Freaky energy fact 6:
If everyone upgraded their old fridge and bought one that was A-rated for energy efficiency, harmful emissions would be cut by the equivalent of 47 million double-deckers full of carbon dioxide (CO2). Chilling thought! Source: The Energy Saving Trust, as at October 2002
Freaky energy fact 7:
The World Bank estimates that by 2010 there will be more than one billion motor vehicles in the world. That's a lot of environmental damage - and one hell of a traffic jam!
Source: www.designcouncil.org.uk/design/content/research_list
Freaky energy fact 8:
Each household in the UK creates around six tonnes of carbon dioxide every year - enough to fill six hot air balloons!
Source: www.schoolenergy.org.uk
Freaky energy fact 9:
The average home emits more carbon dioxide than the average car - and that's without an exhaust pipe sticking out the back! Source: The Energy Saving Trust, as at January 2003
Freaky energy fact 10:
We now use on average over 3.2 million tonnes of plastic and cardboard a year for packaging; twice what we used 10 years ago. And each household in Britain uses 323 supermarket bags a year.
Source: www.scienceyear.com/wired
Freaky energy fact 11:
If every home replaced only three of its lightbulbs with energy efficient ones, we would save enough energy to power all the street lights in the UK. How eco-blinding is that?
Source: The Energy Saving Trust, as at January 2003
Freaky energy fact 12:
Heavy rainstorms in Britain now contribute twice as much rain as they did in the 1960s. And in the last 13 years, Britain has suffered several winter storms so severe they would previously only have been expected once every 200 years. Time to get that armour-plated brolly out! Source: The Energy Saving Trust, as at January 2003
Energy fact 13:
6- to 16-year-olds in the UK spend on average three hours a day watching TV, compared to just two hours average across Europe. A TV-free week could create 21 extra hours for you to have a laugh in, plus you'll use less electricity too.1
Energy fact 14:
UK scientists are working on eco-friendly appliances which will run on power generated by their own vibrations. These could prove a lifesaver for the 40% of the developing world without a reliable electricity supply.2 Let's just hope they know how to stop that electric toothbrush though!
Energy fact 15:
It's possible to buy a solar-powered mobile phone charger. These sunny little numbers are available from www.getethical.com and will help the environment by saving on electricity, as well as making you look pretty hot. Or rather cool!
Energy fact 16:
Office workers could save 120 tonnes of steel a year in the UK, and the energy gobbled up to produce it, just by using one less staple a day - and re-using a paperclip instead.1. It's a handy tip for that school homework project too - after all, great eco journeys begin with just one small step.
Energy fact 17:
Recycling one tonne of paper saves 15 average-sized trees as well as the surrounding habitat and wildlife.3
Energy fact 18:
If every home in the UK replaced a 100W lightbulb with a 20W low-energy bulb, the amount of energy saved would be the same as that produced by the Sizewell B power station!3
Energy fact 19:
More than 40% of all the heat lost in an average home is lost through the loft space and walls. But just 25cm of loft insulation could save up to 25% of heating costs.4
Energy fact 20:
Set-top boxes for digital TV reception are often given away for free, but by 2010 they could be costing UK households £357m every year in electricity, or £14 per household.4
Energy fact 21:
A double-decker bus carries the same number of people as 20 fully occupied cars but takes up a seventh of the road space.3
Energy fact 22:
One million tonnes of junk mail and magazines gets binned every year - a lot of it not even read because you didn't want it in the first place. That's an awful lot of trees gone to waste!5
Energy fact 23:
A mega 60% of the contents of your dustbin can be recycled. That includes everything from glass bottles to newspapers. Steel cans may be used to make new cars or bridges, plastic bottles can be reborn as a funky fleece top, and glass jars may be turned into fancy floor paving. See www.rethinkrubbish.com for details.5
Energy fact 24:
It may sound boring but find out if your home's hot water tank has been properly fitted with an insulating jacket. It costs less than £10, but if everyone in the UK popped one on theirs the energy saved could power over 64,000 households for a year.6
Energy fact 25:
We use £800 million worth of electricity in the UK by relying on washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers to do our dirty work for us - producing 5 million tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide a year. They may be labour-saving devices, but they sure ain't planet-saving!6

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Sorted tips for SAVING ENERGY - part 1

  1. Close curtains properly at dusk to stop heat escaping. How often have you wondered why it's so cold in your bedroom, only to find Arctic air sneaking in the window like a ninja?
  2. Turn off lights when you leave a room for more than a few minutes and you'll save energy as well as cutting down on your folks' bills. Hey, soft light's more romantic anyway!
  3. Don't leave your telly, video, hi-fi, computer or mobile on stand-by, or charging up unnecessarily. It drains energy, plus that pesky red light on the TV's annoying anyway!
  4. Don't turn up the central heating when you could just put on a jumper. It doesn't have to be the super-tight Rudolf the Reindeer one your granny knitted you last Christmas...
  5. Having a shower uses only two-fifths of the water you'd need for a bath*. And you won't be late for school because you're wallowing!
  6. Always put a plug in your basin or sink. Leaving hot water taps running is just washing dosh down the plughole! The same goes for running water whilst brushing your teeth.

*Source: The Energy Saving Trust, as at September 2002

Sorted tips for SAVING ENERGY - part 2

  1. Wait until there's a full load before starting up the dishwasher, and try to use the low-temperature programme. That's if you're not hiding behind the telly, trying to avoid dishwasher-stacking duty altogether!
  2. OK, in winter in the UK you need a torch at lunchtime just to find your way to the corner store, but at home don't just flip on a light for the sake of it - use daylight when you can.
  3. Close doors and windows when the heating is on. If you're feeling stuffy turn the heating down, rather than hanging out the window in your bathing suit fanning yourself! (PS: did you know that turning the thermostat down just 1% could cut your bill by 10%*?)
  4. See that big hole in your floorboards? It might look cute with a mouse peeking out of it, but it's also letting in mega draughts. Plug the gap with newspaper or sealant (ask your folks for help first if you fancy yourself as a DIY king!).
  5. When you're making a cuppa don't fill the kettle to the top. It's quicker, and more eco-friendly, to just boil the amount you really need, plus that way you don't get water bubbling out the spout in crazy comedy movie style.
  6. Conduct an energy walk-around your house, to see if you can spot ways to save dosh or electricity. Maybe your parents will divert the saved cash straight to your piggy-bank!

*Source: The Energy Saving Trust, as at October 2002

Sorted tips for SAVING ENERGY - part 3

  1. Buy an energy-efficient lightbulb for your room. Not only will it cut energy wastage by over three quarters (knocking a tenner off your parents' annual energy bill or up to £68 over the bulb's lifetime), but it will last 12 times longer*. And make you look 12 times cooler just for knowing about them.
  2. Draught-proof your letter box! OK, it's great when postcards from that cute French exchange kid pop through, but do you need the icy breeze that sneaks in too? Try a light plastic sheet or a piece of carpet tacked over the inside*. Remember to check that postie can still get the letters through.
  3. Next time your folks are buying a new fridge, washing machine or dishwasher, don't just look bored - start looking for the blue and orange Energy Efficiency Recommended logo, which the eco-friendly ones should be sporting*. Then try and persuade the parents to think green.
  4. Find out about recycling and composting for your home by checking out eco websites. Any vegetable or organic matter can be composted - well obviously not that boy in Year 9, but nearly everything! Compost doesn't smell and is wonderful for gardens. Green-fingered grandparents will think that you're a star.
  5. Use your finger to save the world! All you need to do is switch off lights in rooms when you're not using them and you could make a difference. There, that wasn't so tiring after all.

    6. *Source: The Energy Saving Trust, as at January 2003

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Five ways to be an Eco Warrior - part 1

  1. Go shopping with a sports bag, funky shopper, roll-along granny trolley or backpack, rather than a use-once-and-throw-away placcy bag. It's more eco-friendly, plus you won't have to worry about broken bag handles or over-stretched monkey arms!
  2. Choose 36-exposure camera films, not 24. Not only will this reduce waste from packaging and processing chemicals by a third, but you can save 30% in cost.1 And we don't mean by cutting the heads off all your mates' pictures! Even better, use a digital camera - no film at all!
  3. Don't leave the tap running while you're cleaning your teeth, and turn taps off completely when you're done to save precious water. All the better for hearing yourself make weird gurgling/brushing noises.
  4. Use mains electricity, not batteries. Or if you really need batteries, aim for rechargeable ones rather than throwing regular ones in the bin after just a few hours of your favourite tunes.
  5. Don't keep your mobile phone charger constantly plugged in and switched on as it uses almost as much electricity as when it's actually charging up your phone!2 Pricey, both for you and poor old Planet Earth!

Five ways to be an Eco Warrior - part 2

  1. Recycle bottles, cans, paper and plastics. Before buying them in the first place, look out for the special triangle arrow symbol on products or packaging which means it can be recycled or contains recycled material.1
  2. You may not be watching your telly but that doesn't mean it's watching out for your interests. In fact, sneaky VCRs consume 85% of their electricity when they're not actually on, so say goodbye to leaving them on standby!2
  3. Unless you've been rolling in the mud at a three-day music festival, wash your clothes on an economy setting in the washing-machine. Switching it to 40oC instead of 60oC will use a third less electricity and should leave it just as squeaky clean.2
  4. Set up a white-paper recycling bin at school and encourage your school to buy recycled paper in the first place. You'll help the planet as well as being your local eco hero.3
  5. Never fill the kettle right up and only boil the amount of water you need. You'll save energy and time, and your cup of tea will taste just as good. One lump or two?4

Five ways to be an Eco Warrior - part 3

  1. Recycle all that pesky junk mail, rather than just binning it. Or better still, dodge it in the first place by registering with the Mailing Preference Service, who will make sure your pad stays a junk-mail-free zone. Just visit www.mpsonline.org.uk, email mps@dma.org.uk, or call 020 7291 3310 to request an end to unasked-for mail (P.S. make sure the parents are fine with it first though!)1
  2. Trendy vintage clothes sections on the high street mean you can be bang up-to-date with the latest fashion statement, while still indulging in a little eco-friendly recycling. Charity shops are great sources of old but hip clobber too, or take your own unwanted clothes down to stores like Oxfam, Scope, TRAID or The Salvation Army and do your bit for the planet.1
  3. If you're too warm at home, turning down the central heating room thermostat by just 1oC could save up to 10% on your family's fuel bill (that's around £15-£30 a year, or make that two CDs!).2
  4. Save on electricity by letting food cool down properly before sticking it in the fridge (your fridge will thank you too as it'll have to work less hard to keep the interior chilly). But don't go ruining the effect afterwards by letting the fridge door stand open.3
  5. When shopping for tasty fruit and veg, avoid the pre-packaged ones that come with loads of wasteful shrink-wrap or other plastic or card casing. Buying them loose will cut down on the amount of precious materials needed to produce your food, while slashing the piles of rubbish you have to throw away later.1

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